


Mahabharata OS

by Rasnak_2



Category: Mahabharata - Vyasa, महाभारत | Mahabharat (TV 2013)
Genre: Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Author's mind works in weird ways, Can be AU, Did I mention some of them will be AU?, Everyone Needs A Hug, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, OOC characters, Other, Some may have character deaths, The Author Regrets Nothing, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:27:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27042721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rasnak_2/pseuds/Rasnak_2
Summary: One Shots and maybe drabbles from Mahabharata. Characters can be OOC, some will be AU so consider warned.No offence intended at any point of the story! And prompts are welcome.
Kudos: 14





	1. The Unlikely Trio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Karna, Arjuna and Ekalavya became friends (sort of)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is an AU with a what if that was playing ping pong in my head and well... not intended to cause any offence. And OOC characters so consider warned.   
> Ok. Before you guys point fingers at me for copying, I had to take down my original account (Rasnak) due to technical issues and I'd deleted the book there and so I am reposting it now. One chapter per week until I've caught up with whatever I'd written maybe. Prompts are accepted!

It was nearing dusk and everyone started to retire after a long day of learning and practising so no one noticed one of them sneaking out away from the group, into the forest with something in his hands.

The boy moved silently, keeping an eye out in all directions just in case someone was following him and sighed in relief when he found none. He journeyed through tall trees, stumbling on the roots as the forest darkened rapidly, his mind just focusing on the destination and the events of the day.

He soon reached a cave and prayed that the person he was searching for would be there as he headed in, trying not to make much noise in case the person was asleep.

"What are you doing here prince?" asked the person, his voice echoing around the cave, creating an eerie feeling. "Guru did a great injustice to you" the boy stated bluntly as he followed the voice.

"Guru didn't commit any crime. He asked his dakshina and I offered it to him." they said but didn't sound as convinced. "Don't try to lie about it Ekalavya, we both know that while you were happy to give away your thumb, it also crushed you. I just bought some medicines and food. And no, I am not saying that you are weak... I just feel guilty for Guru Drona's actions because one of the major causes was me" Arjuna said guiltily as he set down the banana leaf packet.

"Why do you care?" Ekalavya asked in a voice mixed with curiosity and bitterness. "I still believe that you can become a master archer. I want you to prove him wrong." Arjuna said.

"But why? I know he intends to make you the best archer and move any thorn on his path to achieve that and you are his favourite pupil but..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"What he did today... it just makes me feel like he doesn't trust me to come up on my own... and while I do want to become the greatest archer of Aryavarta, at the same time I want it to be because of my own hard work... I want it to be because of my effort and not because Guru Drona took away the thorns off my side..." Arjuna trailed off, struggling to find his words as his voice cracked.

"You want competition?" he asked bluntly. "Maybe yeah... if there is none, then how will I know whether I am the best or not? Ok, will you give me permission to treat the wound? I might not be as great as my brothers but I know enough to clean a wound and wrap it up so that it won't become septic" Arjuna said, looking at Ekalavya and he shrugged and reached out his hand.

The silence engulfed them comfortably as Arjuna treated the wound with at most concentration and Ekalavya took this as his chance to look at Arjuna closely and properly. Here was a pampered prince, a teacher's pet and probably surrounded with all the riches and love in the world but still wants to come up with his own merit... probably a pride which is justified too... but then why...?

"Wondering about why this pampered prince is sitting here with you? No, I don't read minds but this is predictable. Sometimes I feel soo smothered in love that I don't know how to get out of it... at times that love is taken to an extreme that I find it uncomfortable, like today. And then there is also the fact that I am usually overshadowed by my brothers and cousins and that in itself wants me to prove that I can stand on my own..." Arjuna said with a shrug as he finished wrapping the cloth around the stub.

"I would advise you to not move the hand for a few days, no strenuous jobs too. I will visit you every day, whenever I can and will bring you some food and change the bandage. After you heal, we will practice until you are as good as you were before" Arjuna said with a smile as he handed over the food packet.

**_3 days later_ **

Karna was just randomly wandering through the forest, trying to figure out what to do and how to extract his revenge when he heard the thwap of an arrow hitting a target. Curious as to who will be practising archery at this hour, he made his way towards the sound.

"Still unfair! Can't one train if he is skilled? He might not be of the right caste but he is still skilled right?" the voice said, sounding really frustrated as another thwap sounded.

"This is not only about the caste issue prince. This is also about the fact that he is a Rajaguru. Which means he will only train the kshatriyas of a particular kingdom, not anyone else, just like he rejected me" a deeper voice reasoned calmly.

"Not the point 'Lavya. And how many times do I have to ask you to call me by my name? Titles and all don't matter to me. But what he did was still unfair, both to you and to him." the prince stated. Was he one of Drona's students? Why does he sound this... upset about this matter?

"Let it be Arjuna. Each one has their own reasons. We can't be questioning everything in life. Sometimes we have to take things as it is without any questions. And don't wear yourself out. The target already looks like a porcupine, we don't want to destroy it now, do we?" Ekalavya said and Karna just blinked in shock.

In his thoughts, he forgot to thread carefully and stepped on a stick and it creaked quite loudly, shattering the quiet of the night. Moments later he had two arrows by the side of his head and one near his foot. Footsteps rushing towards him and he panicked, not knowing what to do.

"Oh, hello there? Karna right?" Ekalavya asked. "You guys really need to learn to sneak around. Do you know how loud you guys talk and practice?" he snarked.

"I can say the same about you too... you need more practice in moving stealthily." Arjuna snarked back. "Well... I wasn't trying to actually be stealthy. What are you doing this late?" Karna asked.

"Practicing with him. He needs a companion right now..." Arjuna replied, pointing at Ekalavya's thumb. "What happened?" Karna asked in concern. "Injustice, again." Arjuna said, rolling his eyes.

"He's always like that, ignore him. Guru Drona asked for guru dakshina and I gave it, that's all." "And it was an unfair demand for you" Arjuna retorted. "Well... you are helping me out anyways now. I'll be back in form in no time" he said, rolling his eyes.

"You can shoot with that hand?" Karna asked in shock. "Want to compete and test it out?" he replied as he readied the bow. Karna shrugged and raised his hand, showing that he was unarmed and Arjuna promptly threw his bow at him.

"The target will be that tree stump in the distance. The one who strikes closer to the middle wins" he declared as he marked a point on the stump. The two contestants readied themselves and aimed before firing. Both the arrows veered off course and ended up on the other side of the middle line but Arjuna smiled as he took his bow back.

"Tied. But not a bad try at all, considering that one of you is currently relearning to shoot without their thumb and the other is I think not accustomed to shooting in the dark?" he asked. "As if you can do it?" Karna scoffed and Arjuna just raised an eyebrow as he readied the bow and fired and it ended up just a bit off the mark.

"Need to practice more, I know that but do you believe me now?" he asked Karna just nodded thoughtfully. "What are you going to do now?" Ekalavya asked.

"In search for another teacher who will be willing to teach me, if I am lucky" Karna said with a shrug. He just hummed in response before smiling. "Will you be willing to join me for a few days? Arjuna just said he wouldn't be able to visit me as often as people are growing a bit suspicious and I really could use some help... I mean, I can take care of myself very well but this mother hen wouldn't let me soo..." Ekalavya said with a shrug.

Karna just thought about the proposition for a while before nodding. It gave him some time to ponder about what he was going to do later on too... it was not a bad suggestion over all...

"Ok then... time to head back. I know it is a lot sooner than usual but I really need to lay down till their suspicions nullify a bit... sucks to have expectations" he muttered as he shouldered his bow and took some of the arrows off so that it could be returned to their places.

"Don't worry, I won't leave him alone here. I will stay with him at least until he is well enough to travel on his own." Karna reassured as he placed a hand over Ekalavya's shoulder. Arjuna nodded with a smile and took off, praying that he will make it in time.

The days passed and Ekalavya and Karna bonded as they helped each other improve their archery and exchanged anecdotes about their lives. Arjuna managed to sneak in every alternative day or two and practice with them after taking a look at the stub that once was Ekalavya's thumb.

"It is all healed. Just take care not to strain it for a few days and all will be well" he said as he unwrapped the bandage for one last time. Ekalavya just brushed a finger across it and winced as it stung as the skin was still a little sensitive.

"I might have to move on from here and head back..." Ekalavya started slowly. "Same... I have decided to try my luck with Lord Parashurama and hope that he will take me in" Karna said hesitantly. 

"But we will keep in touch, right? And I heard that he only teaches brahmins..." Arjuna said. "I know but... I guess I will have to try and see anyways. What if he does accept me?" Karna said hopefully. Arjuna just stared hard at him before sighing.

"Don't try to lie your way in if you can. It might end up disastrous if you get caught in the act. And you know, you have my mother's eyes" Arjuna commented absently and Karna blinked in confusion at this observation. "And why bring it up now?" he asked. "Just like that... I don't know why I said that..." he said with a shrug.

"But yes, we'll try to keep in touch." Ekalavya said with a smile. "And you owe me a duel" Karna said and Arjuna nodded. "I do owe you one duel. And I promise that you'll get it, unless Guru Drona decides to interfere, again" he said moodily. The bid their farewells and parted, knowing not when they will meet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Reminds me, this is a book of OS. If you want me to expand any one of them, please do express yourselves in the comments and I'll see what I can do :) (And yes, I still remember the second part someone had requested me to do. I am working on it)  
> Hope you all liked it! All comments and criticism accepted and appreciated! Prompts and suggestions are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> Published on 16 July 2020


	2. Willpower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arjuna knew that Karna was his brother for years but still was forced to face him on the 17th day of the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Didn't know what else to name the OS so... yeah. Another bathroom idea of mine when I was trying to visualise the previous OS. This is AU.
> 
> Reminds me, this is a book of OS. If you want me to expand any one of them, please do express yourselves in the comments and I'll see what I can do :)

"Take aim Arjuna, this is your chance to kill him" Krishna said as he noticed Arjuna hesitating.

"No, not when he is unarmed and defenceless. That is not right Madhava" Arjuna said as he saw Karna struggling to get his wheel off the ground.

"He killed your son, this is the right chance to avenge him. Even your son was defenceless when he faced 6 warriors." Krishna persuaded.

"But two wrongs don't make a right Madhava."

"But you might not get another chance to kill him. Remember your oath!"

"I do remember it Madhava, but I want to do it the right way. If I die in the process, so be it." he said, taking a deep breath.

"Don't act like a fool and miss a golden opportunity!"

"I don't want a victory gained by unfair means"

"Think about your brothers for a moment! He humiliated and sent them back"

"Oh I am thinking about them Madhava. And now you are telling me to kill one of them in a cowardly way, what about that?" he whispered and Krishna turned towards him in surprise.

"You know?"

"Oh I do, for a very long time actually, long before the war, long before brother Karna himself knew, if I am right." he said as he stood still, not giving anything away in his stoic face.

"Sacrifices have to be made Partha. He even insulted your brothers!"

"He is our eldest, he had every right to do so. Plus he was under an oath, an oath he gave to mother when she visited him" he replied.

"Are you going to betray your whole army in order to favour these _feelings?_ "

"No, I am betraying no one when I wait for him to pick up his bow. It is only if I refuse to kill him I am betraying someone" he said strongly as he saw Karna glance at the setting sun and back at him before leaving the wheel and picking up a sword.

Arjuna just smiled and picked up his own. "Good choice" he commented as he got off.

"You have really gone mad. What will I tell your brothers if you died now?" Krishna muttered as he walked past him and Arjuna dutifully ignored it.

"Tell them that I died either due to my bravery or my stupidity." he waved off as he charged towards his brother, who picked up his speed and they met with equal force as their swords clashed.

"Either you are stupid or very brave. Why not take that chance? I killed your son and stood silent while he was tortured." Karna gritted out.

"Funny that you are repeating everything Madhava had just said. I wanted to fight a fair fight with my brother. Plus I had killed your son so... I guess that equates it somewhat" Arjuna replied and took the opening Karna had left in a moment of shock.

"How did you know?" Karna asked as he tried to parry the oncoming strikes.

"Came to know about it long ago brother. Don't worry, the secret is safe with me though. Not even mother knows I know. And my brothers won't know until mother tells them about it" Arjuna said with a sad smile.

"But why admit it now? Why not before?" Karna panted as they circled each other again, trying to find an opening.

"So that I can tell them your last words. I know you came here, expecting to die in the battlefield, don't bother denying that. I know you promised mother that she will have 5 sons after he war - either you or me but I know that you'll rather die the way you are right now than kill me and be with my brothers. And I understand" Arjuna said as he tried an experimental jab.

"How long have you known?" Karna asked, his voice gaining a heavier tone.

"Years" Arjuna replied as he deftly disarmed him and pushed him to the ground, going in for the killing shot.

"Forgive me and give me strength. Any last words?" Arjuna muttered and Karna just smiled as he leaned closer

"This is what I wanted. Do not regret or repent the actions you do now. Good luck on your future endeavours. And thank you for giving me the chance" Karna whispered and Arjuna hardened his heart before taking the shot, his eyes glistening just a bit as he drove the sword to the heart.

"I did what you asked for me Madhava, I fulfilled my oath" he said. His oath had been fulfilled but at the loss of his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Before anyone asks, the reason I made them use swords, in the end, was due to Parasurama's curse... and honestly, I wanted the bros to have one private conversation between them, which wouldn't be possible if they were using bows. And well... yeah, this is an AU so no regrets
> 
> Hope you all like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> UPDATED ON 17 JULY 2020


	3. Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if the Pandavas had known that Karna was their brother beforehand but kept it a secret, even from each other?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Somewhat like the aftermath of the previous OS but can also be read as a stand-alone. Again, totally AU

The war had finally come to an end. Duryodhana was dead and his last words still ring in their heads. They'd won... but at what cost? They'd lost a huge chunk of their soldiers, mothers lost their children, wives their husbands, sisters their brothers and the children, their fathers... was the war worth it?

Two days passed and then came the funerals. A mass amount of pyres were built, the battlefield now turned into a cremation ground for all the dead soldiers. The painful wails of the children, mothers, the old fathers and widows were all you could hear with some silent condolences that people offered them. Families were destroyed, innocents were killed and all of this because there was a fight for the throne.

Kunti approached their sons, who were standing next to Karna's pyre, just staring at it with a blank look on their faces. And Kunti just couldn't keep it in any more because they deserved to know. At least before they burned his body like he were a stranger.

"He was your brother. A pure soul who endured a lot of suffering just because of one innocent but the grave mistake I'd committed" she said, waiting for the reprimands and shouts of outrage to come but was surprised when she heard a collective "I know" from all of them.

The brothers then stared at each other in surprise at their admission and stared back at their mother, who was equally shocked at their admission.

"You... knew?" she asked hesitantly and they all nodded. "Before Varanavrat. You definitely didn't do a great job hiding your emotions whenever I confronted Karna. Your look always gave it away because you looked at him like you look at all of us. The pining and guilt... you were transparent mother" Arjuna explained.

"Sometime after marrying Panchali. When we were living in the forest after the whole lac palace incident, you had this look of longing in you. I knew it wasn't from missing anything material so it should've been something personal or emotional like you were missing someone. And it vanished when you saw Karna. And your later interactions with him... It just proved my theory" Yudhisthira said.

Sahadeva just tapped his forehead and said "Astrology is vague but I joined the dots together when it said that one of our brothers were to die on the 17th day."

"He was mumbling deliriously when I was treating him... It was a boon that no one was there at that time" Nakula said with a shrug.

"I walked in on him cursing the gods while I was taking a stroll on the day when Abhimanyu died... It didn't make much sense that day but... I knew it was the truth" Bhima said with a shrug.

"But then...?" Kunti asked, not knowing how to word it. "I was afraid Jyeshth will take some... drastic measures and he usually doesn't lie." "Didn't feel right to reveal it when you yourself kept it a secret" Yudhisthira said. "Wartime" the twins said with a shrug. "It was too late, I thought there was no need for guilt trips" Bhima said.

"I am sorry" she said, feeling guilty for putting them through this. "This is not the time for this talk. And this will stay between us. No one else is to know about it. This is how he wanted it to be and therefore, this is how it will be. Karna's son will do his final rites. We don't have the right to do it" Arjuna said, his words weighing tons on each one of them.

"Arjuna is right mother. In everyone's eyes, we were his enemies. If we suddenly proclaim him to be our brother then... it will cause a whole new level of ruckus that no one needs right now. And I am talking about the people here. So please don't" Yudhisthira said, cutting off whatever his mother was trying to say.

"Yes mother, let us honour his last wish and let it stay between us. We were silent spectators before and are silent spectators now. Nothing will change. It is the least we can do after what we've done." Bhima said and the twins nodded in agreement.

And therefore, the six of them stood afar as they witnessed Karna's pyre being lit up, heads hung in what seemed to be respect to the others while in fact, their heads hung low in regret, shame and respect. The regret of not approaching him before, the regret of floating him away, the regret of killing him. 

The shame for hurling abuses at him, for not respecting him as they should've and for their behaviour towards him. And the respect, respect for his sense of duty, respect for his unwavering loyalty and the respect for everything he has done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ooook, again didn't end up as expected but... I guess it ended up ok? Hope you all like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> Published on 28 July 2020


	4. The Resting Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers take a resolution to take care of Draupadi one day and not let her do any work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: My imagination running wild. That's all

Draupadi let out an exhaustive sigh as she laid down beside her husbands. The day had been a tough one and none of them had gotten a wink of proper sleep the night before... and she was completely sore by the time she went to bed.

It had been really tough for her to adjust to life in the forest after being brought up in the palace, unlike her husbands who are probably used to it by now, having been born and brought up in the forest for the first few years of their life and the self-imposed hiding they did before they married her... she let out another sigh as she let sleep claim her, praying that she would have enough strength to keep up with the next day.

A few minutes after Draupadi fell fast asleep, Arjuna sat up and woke up his brothers and they silently went outside, not wanting to disturb her well-deserved sleep.

"We have to do something" Bhima whispered. "She is not used to the forest life and exhaustion is really getting to her right now" "She also doesn't sleep through the night... it is very disturbed brother." Arjuna piped in. "And she also doesn't look very good. She was burning up a little when she accidentally brushed her hand against me while serving dinner" Nakula said in worry.

"So... tomorrow we have a rest day?" Yudhisthira asked with a knowing smile and the others smiled as well, remembering what exactly it entails.

"Nakula is on water duty and cleaning up, Sahadeva is taking care of Panchali while the rest of us..." "Kitchen duty" Bhima claimed quickly and the others laughed at the immediate claim. "You will leave food for us also, right? Or will you finish eating it while cooking itself brother?" Nakula teased and Bhima glared at him while pulling him into an affectionate headlock.

"Maybe for that comment itself I won't leave you any" he said in a faux angry voice before laughing. "Ok, we'll adjust as required tomorrow. Let us all rest for today. Tomorrow is going to be quite long" Yudhisthira suggested and they nodded before retiring to bed.

The next day, Draupadi woke up feeling hot and sweaty and to an empty bed, and was frankly surprised as no one, maybe other than Arjuna or Yudhisthira usually woke up before her. But today, all the mattresses were empty. With the fear of having overslept, she silently stepped out, only to find her husbands doing her chores while letting her sleep in.

She hurried... or at least tried to approach Nakula and take the water pot from him but Sahadeva intervened and made her sit on a nearby rock. "Arya, what is the meaning of this? It's already late and you are making me sit down?" Draupadi asked in confusion.

"Panchali, you are exhausted, tired and burning up. You need to rest right now. So we are imposing the rest day on you. We all are going to take care of you and let you rest for a few days" Sahadeva explained patiently.

"But... it is my duty to... I can't just..." she stuttered, trying to get back on her feet, only for the rest of her husbands to approach her. "No Panchali. Today, you are going to take some rest while we take care of you. You've been taking very good care of us and now it is our turn" Nakula said.

"Yes, it is a wife's duty to take care of her husband's needs and serve him. But at the same time the husband also has a duty to take care of his wife and we can't neglect that too. So, you are going to get rest and we will take care of you till you get well" Arjuna emphasised and looking at her husbands' determined gazes, she knew she cannot escape.

"What is this rest day though?" she asked instead, her curiosity nagging her. "It was the day where the person who unwell/tired/injured were not allowed to do any work while the others take care of them. It was something father had introduced when we were little and it just stuck. While it was far and few in between, those days always carried special memories." Yudhisthira said with a small smile.

"Some of them usually call in when they feel they will not be able to do anything but then some of them had to be forced to take the day off, like brother Yudhisthira or Arjuna, too sincere for our liking" Bhima said with a shake of his head with a mock voice of disbelief.

"And there were some others who misused it a lot" Arjuna said in retaliation as he nudged Nakula and Sahadeva and earned a nudge back from Bhima, who got what Arjuna implied.

"Alright, now all of you get back to work. Panchali, no work for you today. You will just take rest and relax. We know that you haven't had enough rest, nor have you taken care of yourself well. So get back inside and we will take care of the rest" Sahadeva said softly.

And she did as she was told and let them take care of her. There were a little bantering and arguments about who should do what as some of them (Read Nakula and Bhima) was a little... over-eager to do things that they often clashed opinions.

And all Draupadi could do was smile as her husband almost seamlessly sealed the gaps and took over for her without any hesitance or complaints and worked like a well-oiled machine, something that came to them after years of being together. And she couldn't wish for more as she looked at them behaving like they were youngsters who had all the time in the world, without any worry or pain and she was glad that there was a silver lining in their seemingly dark days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So... yeah, that happened. It initially started off as an OS where Bhima forces Draupadi to take rest and volunteering to cook for the day and well... escalated to this. Hope you all like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> Published on 31 July 2020


	5. Oh Deer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aka, the one where the brothers visit back to the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: An AU where Kunti reveals to the brothers that Karna was their brother and well... a bonding trip that goes horribly wrong and Karna is stuck with some mischievous brothers. 

"Yudhisthira, where are we headed?" Karna asked looking around the place with suspicious eyes. "We are hunting brother" Yudhisthira said innocently as the 6 horses trotted forward. It was a pleasant day and since they were all bored that day and surprisingly had nothing to do for a few days, they'd decided to take a few days off and roam around the countryside... or so they said.

"Is that normal?" Karna asked, eyeing Arjuna, who was sleeping on the back of his horse, as usual. "Oh brother, you have to get used to it. That's not the oddest place he's slept in. Remember the time when he fell asleep on the roof of the ashram? Gave the rishis assembled there a fit when they went out for their morning rituals" Sahadeva said with a laugh.

"Or the time when he fell asleep, standing when we were at the gurukul, his bow in his hand. Guru had a fit at that." Bhima added in. "You remember the time when he fell asleep on the cliff with me at his side? Dad really was debating whether he was to be mad at brother or shocked" Nakula pitched in.

"To be fair Nakula, it was a quite bizarre and dangerous scene for anyone to chance upon, especially for father. I mean, my legs were hanging off the cliff while you were crawling all over me, not caring that we were near the edge after all" Arjuna explained as he sat up while Karna just narrowed his eyes and left it at that.

"By the way, I heard something to the left of us. It can be a game" he said, pointedly looking at Bhima, who got the point. "Let's chase it then! What are we waiting for?" he asked and they sped up their horses, chasing their _game._

After spending quite a while futilely chasing whatever animal that was, they halted near a river, giving some time for the horses to rejuvenate while they rested.

"This place doesn't seem right to me. It is best if we leave soon" Karna said as he got up but the other brothers just smiled and laid back. "Come on brother. If anything is out there to harm us, we can surely take care of it. All of us are tired right now so rest" Nakula said and Karna rolled his eyes but complied, trying to ignore the nagging feeling.

They were all seated peacefully, talking in hushed tones when two people rushed and prostrated before Bhima, muttering some gibberish and Karna drew his bow, only to be held back by his younger brothers. "It might be someone trying to play a prank brother. Bhima can handle it" Yudhisthira pacified and the two people rose up.

"King Vrikodhara! We never expected you to arrive this soon! The queen and your son are waiting for you" they announced joyously and Karna just blinked and glanced at the four brothers, who were trying to hide their laughter at the expression on Karna's face. "Anyone want to say why two... Rakshasas are currently bowing to Bhima and calling him their king?"

"Didn't we mention this incident to our brother?" Sahadeva asked innocently and Yudhisthira shook his head. "No we didn't" "It must've slipped our mind then. You see, when we were hiding from you all after the Varanavrat incident... we chanced upon this place and brother Bhima had to kill their king Hidimba due to some... _issues_ " Nakula said.

"And as per their tradition, the one who kills the king becomes the next king. Which means that brother Bhima became the next king. It is also their tradition that the person who becomes the king will have to marry the sister/wife of the former king... and therefore, brother Bhima married Hidimba, the sister of Hidimba" Arjuna elaborated.

"And the son?" "Oh that brother? My dear wife wanted to have a son so that there will be someone to name heir when we had to leave the forest for she knew that I wouldn't be able to stay here forever" Bhima said with a wistful smile, knowing the hardships she was willing to take up with that decision.

"Want to meet your nephew any time soon brother?" he asked mischievously as he gleefully took in the look of surprise and shock that adorned his face. And all Karna could think was 'If this is how his brothers are going to be... he really was in for a ride in the future.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know, this does sound a bit silly and such but I couldn't get it out of my head so... I hope you like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> Published on 5 August 2020


	6. Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What if Arjun was killed in the war instead of Karna and then when other 4 brothers get angry on Karna Kunti to tell them the truth plzz show brother emotions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And I am back with another prompt ppl! And this one was given by nakuulfan on Wattpad. It does deviate slightly in the case of the brothers showing anger and the feels but... I tried my best!

The fight had been intense. The fight had been fair. But it was all a stroke of luck... and that ended up with Karna killing Arjuna just as the sunset. He hadn't actually wished for it to happen... He'd thought that he would be the one to die at the end of the day. But fate was also a strange thing, and it had decided that Arjuna should die that day.

The 4 brothers, Krishna, Draupadi along with the remaining family sat close together, trying and failing to at least fill up the void called Arjuna a little.

"Was the fight worth losing our brother?" Yudhisthira asked as he glanced around and knew he probably asked the wrong question, judging from the incredulous looks pointed at him.

"You really have gone nuts" Bhima muttered. "Arjuna knew the risks he was taking when he went to fight Karna today. He knew that only one of them will come out of it alive. And he believed in the cause we are fighting for. Lowering your morale and doubting what we set out to do will only make the sacrifice go in vain. Are you going to let Abhimanyu's sacrifice go in vain? What about all the kings that rooted for you? Are you going to let that go in vain? Did you just come this far to lose hope and surrender?" Krishna asked calmly.

"No. But..." "I know. We are all mourning here but we must move forward. This war must end soon" Draupadi said, her voice devoid of emotion. "I agree with my sister. We must try and end this war tomorrow, else it will be a catastrophe" Drishtadyumna agreed.

"Arjuna asked me to convey to you all that if he were ever to fall, you must not lose hope but instead move on and fight till you win. He didn't want his death to go in vain." Krishna conveyed.

"Alright. What is the plan of action?" Nakula asked, eyes laid on the game board. "Right, current status, we are down one major player. So there is currently no one to match Karna incase he goes all out. Apart from that, we have the king of Madra, the king of Gandhara, Ashwattama, Kripacharya and Duryodhana as their strong points. In our side we have you 4, myself, my sister and my father as your strong points. So we need to plan wisely" Drishtadyumna concluded.

"It won't be advisable for you brothers to target Karna tomorrow." Krishna said as he raised his hand to stop the oncoming outrage from the brothers. 

"I know that you want to get revenge from him but now is not the time. I know that he left you all scot-free once and I don't think he will do that again. Don't make me be the one to inform Aunt Kunti that you died because you wanted to avenge Arjuna instead of concentrating on finishing the war" Krishna warned and Bhima let out an exaggerated sigh but complied.

"What do we do then? What should be our strategy for tomorrow? Brother Bhima will go after Duryodhana for sure but the others..." Sahadeva trailed off.

"If my guess is right, the protection around Duryodhana and Karna will be the strongest as they will expect us to attack them. So, it will be the best to misdirect them and attack the others... not that I am asking you to completely ignore Karna... Ok, so here is the plan" Drishtadyumna started and an hour of discussion later they came to an agreement and parted to get rest. The next day was crucial and they needed to be in the best shape as possible.

**(insert the Kaurava planning and the Gandhari Duryodhana scene as I am a bit lazy and tired**   
**And I am just gonna summarise the 18th day cuz I am a bit tied up and don't have much time to elab on it)**

Bhima goes off to face Duryodhana with Nakula having his back, Sahadeva goes after Sakuni while Yudhisthira faces off Shalya. Drishtadyumna takes the task of distracting Karna while Drupada faces off Ashwattama. The fight goes on until Bhima signifies the end of the war with his conch, conveying that he had killed Duryodhana.

There was a day of mourning in between (And thankfully, the massacre that Ashwattama planned didn't happen due to Karna's intervention) and then came the flood of people, all mourning their fallen loved ones and assembled to take care of the final rites.

Karna had been the first one to meet Kunti in the hopes that the meeting will be quick and to secure a promise. "I know that you will want to reveal the secret to your sons' mother but I will rather let it be a secret as if they ever came to know about it... They won't take it well. I kept up my promise to you. Now I ask you to keep this secret buried, this is the only wish I ask you as your son, mother. They should not come to know about it" Karna said in determination.

"Secret? What should we not know? And what promise?" Yudhisthira asked and the two of them froze before turning to face the 4 brothers, who were standing there in shock.

"How much did you hear?" Kunti asked. "We heard enough to know that you wanted to hide something from us, something major and that it involves the Anga Raja" Bhima said stonily and Kunti sighed in resignation, knowing that it was inevitable.

"Karna is your brother. Your eldest brother" she said bluntly, without any preface, leaving the four of them shocked while Karna glared at her. "He... he is our eldest?" Yudhisthira repeated in disbelief, not wanting to believe it as if this were the truth... there were a lot of things that were just... it was huge.

"I didn't know of it before the war" Karna said, looking for a way to escape from this situation. "So you killed your own nephews knowingly?" Nakula asked. "It was war and we were on the opposite sides. And before you ask, that shot that killed Arjuna was a lucky shot, it could've been avoided but Arjuna chose not to escape it. I know you wouldn't want me anywhere near you and hence, my decision to retire to the forest" Karna added hastily.

"Oh god! Why this complication!" Sahadeva muttered as Yudhisthira turned to Kunti. "Explain, from the beginning" he demanded and Kunti poured the story out, from Karna's birth and how she abandoned him till the last time they met and Karna's promise to Kunti.

"So Krishna also knew about this?" Sahadeva asked. "He was the one who actually told me the truth first. Mother came to me much later. Now I shall take my leave, I don't want to cause any more troubles" Karna said and turned to leave.

"Wait" Yudhisthira said as he took a deep breath. "You don't need to leave... We won't be able to forgive you for what you did, at least not right now. But I think we all are willing to try."

"Plus... you just took one brother away from us and now leaving yourself is not fair. It will take some time for us to forgive each other as we both have wronged each other but... I don't think abandoning us will be fair." Sahadeva said.

"But... if this gets out... the people, the kingdom... Especially since I was on Duryodhana's side" Karna asked hesitantly. "Officially, we are only 4 brothers, unofficially, we are 5. Let this be something that is just between the closest family. No one needs to know" Nakula said.

"You won't replace Arjuna, ever, but we... I think we are willing to take the chance. We can't forget our past deeds but... we also have to move forward. And as the king of Anga, you still technically come under Hastinapura..." Bhima said, addressing the unsaid dilemma in Karna.

"But Panchali..." "We will take care of that when the time comes. But right now... the funerals remain. We must take care of that first" Yudhisthira said and the mood turned sombre again. Yes, the past actions won't be forgotten, nor will be forgiven easily. But when fate is at play, one must go along with the flow and if it is destined to accept Karna as their brother, so be it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hopefully this satisfied the prompt bro! I couldn't bring in as much of the brotherly feels but... yeah. Hope you all liked it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> Published on 11 August 2020


	7. The Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place during the start of the Agnyatvas and well... this is Arjuna revealing the curse he received from Urvashi in a different way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This was actually planned to be out a month ago but... got postponed so I am letting it out only now.

It was the first day of the Agnyatvas and the Pandavas, along with Draupadi had reached the borders of the Matsya kingdom and the time to decide their disguise had also arrived. Everyone except Arjuna was discussing the roles they decided to take and the names they were going to use.

"Arjuna, what guise are you going to take?" Yudhisthira asked, noticing how silent he'd been during the whole discussion. "It's a secret for now brother. You all get ready for the role. You'll see what my disguise will be the moment you'll see me in my get up" Arjuna said confidently as he took a bundle with him.

The thing was... Arjuna had not mentioned to his brothers regarding Urvashi's curse in order to surprise them... and maybe make fun of them for a little while and since he did have some prior experience, he thought he wouldn't need Draupadi's help with it...

But the latter was proved wrong when he did one small mistake. He'd worn the clothes first before calling upon Urvashi's curse. And now he was stuck in the middle of the clothes, some hanging around him loosely while the others pulled at him in odd places.

"Panchali!" he called in desperation as he pulled at places, trying to set it right. "Coming Aarya" she announced as she adjusted her own dress, only the makeup left to put on. But when she came into view, Draupadi was shocked as she was sure that Arjuna's voice call came from this very place.

"Panchali, please help?" the unknown lady asked but her voice sounded more like her husband. "Who are you?" she asked, giving her a scrutinising look. Arjuna facepalmed as he muttered something.

"Mata Urvashi gave me a curse! I am to live as a eunuch for one year. Now can you please help me?" he pleaded as he showed the mess of his dressing up and Draupadi sighed before she went forward to help him dress up.

"Your name?" She asked as she put the final pin in and straightened out the dress. "Brihannala" Arjuna replied as he looked down before smiling.

"Panchali? Who is this?" Bhima asked suspiciously. "Oh, she was just a passerby. She had some trouble so I went to help her out" Panchali lied as she discreetly winked at Arjuna to play along.

"And what is this beautiful lady doing all alone in the forest?" Nakula asked as he eyed Arjuna. "Don't even think of it Rajkumar. I can see the way you are looking at me. Aren't you ashamed? Ogling some random girl in front of your own wife? And I am married to my lovely wife so don't you dare" Arjuna said as he tried to stifle his laugh along with Draupadi as Nakula blushed on getting caught in the act.

"Your wife?" Sahadeva asked with an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, my wife, do you have any problem with that?" Arjuna asked before realising what he'd said. "Where is Arjuna? He should've been here by now?" Yudhisthira asked in concern.

"Oh, he will be here soon. I saw him somewhere nearby only. I will be taking my leave for now. I think we will meet each other soon" he said, stressing on the words before leaving.

"What did she mean by that?" Bhima asked in doubt and Draupadi couldn't handle it anymore and started laughing. "What is the matter Panchali?" Sahadeva asked and she composed herself.

"Nothing much Aarya, just the fact that..." "Just the fact that you couldn't recognise me in my disguise." and the 4 were shocked to see the lady coming back to them, only her voice sounded more like their brother.

"Arjuna?" Yudhisthira asked in disbelief and Arjuna smiled and nodded "Brihannala, Uttara's dance and music teacher. And this is my disguise, thanks to Mata Urvashi's curse"

"Only you Nakula, only you" Bhima said with a laugh as everyone joined in, teasing the thoroughly embarrassed Nakula.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thats the end of another OS. And I have recently started a book called Kirti Kriti Aur Kartik Ki. It is a Mahabharat fanfiction with time travel and I will be grateful if you guys would have a look at it and comment on it for it is the first time I am ever doing a story with OCs as the main leads so... yeah :)
> 
> Hope you all like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> UPDATED ON 18 AUGUST 2020


	8. The Breakdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after the game of dice... and while they were in the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wishing you all a very happy and safe year ahead!

It was really late in the night and everyone was sleeping... at least Draupadi was while the rest of them pretended to sleep while keeping an eye on their eldest, who'd volunteered to stay up and keep watch for the night.

This had been going on for many days and the younger brothers were getting really concerned for his health and decided that it was time to him confront today. It was then or never

The 4 of them silently sneaked out of the grass mats and approached their brother, who was just staring blankly at a distance. "Jyesth, talk to us" Nakula said bluntly as he dropped down beside him, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What are you talking about Nakula?" Yudhisthira asked, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Whatever is clogging up your mind so much that you didn't even notice the four of us beside you" Sahadeva said.

"Nothing, it was nothing" Yudhisthira tried to wave it off as he wiped away the stray tear that'd escaped his eye. "Yes, that's why you haven't gotten enough sleep over these days, always sneaking out and getting lost in your thoughts... You need to take care of yourself Jyesth" Arjuna said in concern.

"No, I am very much fine. You all go to sleep. I am fine" he muttered, trying to convince yourself. "Yes, you are very much fine. And that is why you aren't able to even look into our eyes and talk. That is why you are avoiding us like plague when not necessary. Right Jyesth?" Bhima asked a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

"You've been like a father to us bratha... ever since father had died... you willingly took charge to take care of us when we needed it. But taking care... it goes both ways. Just like we come to you when we have trouble... you should have no qualms coming to us when something is bothering you" Sahadeva said gently.

"But with the fact that you'd rather push us away than tell us what the problem is... it seems like we failed you Jyesth" Arjuna said, the 4 of them looking down, feeling hurt.

"But I have failed my duty, haven't I? I just lost the right... I don't deserve this respect or love from you all after whatever I've done. No father or elder brother does this to their own... no husband does this to their wives... I've failed you all... I don't deserve all this..." Yudhisthira said blankly.

"Bratha... people always mistakes. Plus the dice... while it was wrong on your part too, the main instigators were Duryodhana and Shakuni. We were their mere victims who fell into their trap. But whatever happened to Draupadi... it was all our faults. We all let her down. She had 5 husbands who were useless when the time came to actually protect her" Bhima said gently.

"But it still wasn't right on my part... she was the wife of 5 yet I kept her on the stake without even... it was all my fault. If I hadn't actually accepted the invite... If I hadn't let myself be so involved... all this wouldn't have happened. Bhima... you took the oath to burn off my hands. Do it. Let this be my punishment for the crime I've committed." he said in determination and Bhima shook his head.

"What you need right now is a breakdown. And lots of sleep. Not you harming yourself or inflicting self pain. We still have an oath to fulfil. Our oath to our wife. Our oath to take revenge on the ones who humiliated her" he broke gently.

"Since childhood, you've been catching us whenever we fall. Just for once, let us return the favour brother. This time, you cry your heart out and we will catch you." Nakula said softly as he tightened the grip on his brother's shoulder.

"And before you say it's not right and all that, you've taken care of us all these years and just bottled up whatever you are feeling inside you. You grew up just so that we can retain our childhood. You sacrificed your innocence just so that we can retain ours for a little while longer. We followed because of our faith in you. We followed you because we genuinely loved you" Arjuna said as he hugged him from behind.

"We are all human brother. And it is human to commit mistakes. If you don't make mistakes, you aren't human. Nobody is perfect, everybody is flawed. And that is what makes us human. And we definitely don't expect you to be this perfect, flawless human being. And we certainly don't judge you for making mistakes. People say that you learn from them instead of wallowing in self pity" Sahadeva reasoned.

"But you all are suffering from my mistake, Draupadi is suffering for my error... this isn't fair on all of you. I'd promised to protect and take care of you... and I failed that simple task" Yudhisthira said bitterly as he pulled his knees closer yo himself.   
"Life is definitely not a bed of roses. Suffering and pain... it is bound to happen. You can't protect us always brother. Sometimes it must be the other way round too. So you let go today and the 4 of us will catch you. Or don't you trust us to do so?" Arjuna asked

And Yudhisthira finally let himself fall into his brothers waiting arms. He let go of the pain and sorrow and worry he'd held in for years and let his brothers comfort him, take care of him. And for the first time in a really long time, he actually slept through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And done. Hope you all like it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!.
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> UPDATED ON 6 SEPTEMBER 2020


	9. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takes place a month or two after Indraprastha is built. Yudhi is sick and his brothers take care of him with Drau.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Long time no see :) Lot of stuff going on and my brain is fried so as you can see no regular updates but this OS book is not over yet :)

The day had started badly. Like really bad. Firstly, he'd woken up late, later than his 2-month pregnant wife. He was feeling slightly off, a lot sweaty and he probably would've gone to rest... but then he remembered the council meeting...

He cursed his luck as he dressed up in a hurry and left for the meeting, only to bump into someone along the way. "Brother... where are you hurrying off to?" Sahadeva asked with an eyebrow raised. "To the court obviously. I am late as it is." Yudhisthira said nervously, his face flushed as he straightened his robes.

"And you are burning up so much I can feel the heat till here. Go back to your room" Nakula said as he nearly pushed Yudhisthira back. "But the court! I will take a rest after the session is over!" Yudhisthira said.

"No means no. You are going back in there right now. Bratha Bheem, Bratha Arjuna and Panchali are taking care of the court and asked me to keep you on the bed, and if it means I have to tie you up, Panchali has gladly allowed me to do so." Nakula said with a mischievous smile and Yudhisthira sighed, knowing that there is no way to force his way out when the twins are ganging up on him along with the others.

And so he allowed the twins to guide him back to bed and laid down while they pampered over him. He honest to god pouted when they didn't allow him to touch any of the scrolls or books and well... they were going to see a new side of their brother that day, a side that only their mother had seen before... 

"Bratha! Jyesth is honest to god annoying us for quite some time now and is pulling temper tantrums!" Nakula complained as Bhima and Arjuna entered the chambers. "Where is Panchali?" Yudhisthira asked in concern.

"She is in the kitchen and making something for you to eat. And no need to worry, she will be fine. Two dasis are helping her when she can't do something" Arjuna reassured but Yudhisthira just sat there with a pout, his eyes clearly begging for something.

"Ok, spill. You want something Jyesth. What do you want?" Bhima asked. "You all beside me." "Yes, we are beside you brother. You have to be a little bit more specific" Nakula said with a teasing smile.

"I want you all to cuddle with me" he requested with puppy dog eyes and who were they to ignore this request? They all climbed onto the bed and wrapped him up in all directions and slowly rocked him (and themselves) to sleep.

When Draupadi came into the chamber to call them all to eat, she was met with the 5 brothers sleeping on the bed in almost like a dogpile and had to suppress a giggle. And if she'd made a portrait out of it and given it to her husbands... well, who could blame her? It was a cute moment that had been immortalised by their wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope you all liked it! All comments and criticisms accepted and appreciated! Prompts are welcome!
> 
> Thank you all for reading!!!!!!!!
> 
> Rasnak signing off :) ;)
> 
> Published on 28 February 2021


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